Apparatus for removing tarnish from metals.



i M., 114mm. l

`PPABAUS FOR REMOVING TARNISH PROMMETALS,

. APPLIOATION FILED 1113.2, 1910., 959,227.

Bamm@ my i Be it known. thatL- MARsniAnn li..

'a citizen fof the United States of America,

En sra'rns Aran -nie,

MARSHALL n." Kerr, or'onroaeo. ILLINOIS.

arranefrus fron Rmtovrne" ranmsnf rnonriiisrans.

To all whom 'it moy concern:

' Knr'r;

residing'at' Chicagcg in the county of Cool-I and-State ollhnois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus or Removing Tarnish 4'from Metals, of which' the following is a speciication, refer enc-e being` had therein. to the accompanyl ing drawings.

"I-heinvention relates primarily to afnovfelv and simple. constructionof apparatus for removing the 'tarnish from metal-s, such as silverware, and it" consists in the peculiar construction thereof, in the, novel arrangement combination ofpartsand in` various details of construction, aswill' be more fully hereinafter set lforth and claimed. 1

In the dra.w.ings`,-Figure 1 is a sectional perspective View of the preferred form of' apparatus for carrying .out the steps of the tarnish removlnvlprocess; Fig. 2 is a similar view'of a modilied construction; and lFigs'.

.Sand 4 are detached perspective views of the metallic members constituting the anodes of the4V apparatus.

-ylfhe.method or process in general consists in immersing in a suitable electrolyte a metal of' a more electro-positive character, than 'the 'article from `which the tarnish is' to removed; 1n placing Withmthe electrolyte, and in contact with the immersedv metal constitutinof the anode-themetallic bodv 'that is to be cleansed; and', linall f, removing f the article and subjecting the same to a rmsi ingbath.

A. represents a container of' asuitahle size4 and. orm for holdingr the electrolyte as Well as the other parts of the apparatus. It is preferably made of an enameled Ware impervious to the action ofthe electrolyte, and whichmay be readily cleansed. Removably mounted Within thecontainer described is a carrier B for the article or.' articles from which the tarnish is .to be rehmoved.. This is also formed'- of material similarto the. container, for the reasons herevinafter stated, and is preferably box-'shaped 5 are a sldes 'an in conliguration,A producing a." rigid structure that Will withstand lthe usage to which it is subjected.

. a. represents suitable 'handles upon the carrier 'or tray for 'e'ectingfits removal, and

lurality of a ertures'formed in the d bottom portlon of the tra'y through`- ammonio-of Leners Patent.' Patented May 24.1910. -ag'piicaiiim mea 'February 2.1910'. serial 110.541,623.

'x'vlxi'chthe tiuid may'drain out' -when Ithe tray is lifted out of the receptacle.

' The reference-letter C designates a metallic plate constituting the anode ot the appa- A' A.

ratus and formed usually of Zinc." This 'I have shown .x-n- Fig. l as resting upon the bottom of the tra); section ina position:

wliere'contact can hereadily madevwith it by the articles to be cleansed. A

In the .method de sc1ib'cd,as--the tarnish 1s removed'it'r'om the metal a coating adheres to the anode, and it .is .essential 'for the proper operation of the method that this coating be removed and' the metal forming the anode kept bright, in Which-case the electrolyte may be used over and over again.

To permit of the easy removal of the anode,

and a thorough scouring and cleansinoko-f of a fiat sheet of metal, presentingaplane surface to contact. with' the tarnished I articles, which can be very thoroughly cleansed. Theplate is made lsome little shorter than the tray in which it is seated. and its sides are lient downwardly, at c, 'leaving end portions that may be readily grasped by the operator. The electrolyte is an alkaline solution containing sodium carbonate and bicarbonate.

In. theA operation.. the 'anode is'placed Within the "say, and upon it are arranged the various articles-as silvertvareefrom which the. tarnish to' he removed. `The tray is then deposited Within the solution Within the container, when the electrolytic reaction the same, I have constructed it inthe ibrm easily and immediatelytakes place7 is left therein fora short period of time.' and then removed, the

liquid draining dllfrom the tray through the. y'r1-rions openings.' vThe tray with its con-1 'moved anc dried, when they have the bright `cleansed appearance desired.

. t will not-.iced from the descripton'of the a iaratus that at lio time is it necessa for the operator to. place the hands Within" the solution; and, furthenthat all of 'the 4parte of the apparatus'may be easily cleansed and such parts as requirel it readily scoured. In Fig. 4f of the drawings a modified form of. anode is illustrated, consisting of a.' plate. member 4D somewhat similar to the -member C,'but adapted to rest upon the bottom of the" container instead of the tray, and beine' formed with a 4projection' d that isdesigned The enameled container and tray are particularly advantageous m use, as in addition to being capable of bein@- :readily cleansed,

the material, being impervious to the action of .the electrolyte, effectively prevents the attraction to thesilverware or other metal that isto be cleansed `of sulfids. In the ordinary tin'or. galvanized receptacles, the 'coating is quickly. worn. o in places, and the electrolyte acting on the exposed parts sets free the sulfur contained in the iron, causing it to -Settle on the silver or other Ware, and tia-r# nish it', thus defeating the primary obj ectof the invention.

"What I claim as my invention'is,- `1. In an apparatus forfremovmg tarnish from metals, 4the combination .of a receptacle anda removable article-support therein,

each formed of non-corrodible material, .and a removable metallic Amember forming the 'with the carrierbottom.

anode .of the apparatus, presenting'l a surface within -the carrier for contact with the article or articles therein. 2. In an apparatus-for removing tarnish from metals, the combination -oa receptacle 'anda carrier removablymounted therein,

'- each formed of non-corrodib1e material, and

a flat metallic plate constituting the anode of the apparatus arranged Within the'carrier and having depending portions contacting 3. In-'an apparatu'sffor. removing tarnish from-metals, the ccmbinationo an oblong receptacle'and a box-shaped perforated tray removably mounted'therein,`each formed of "non-'corrodible material, and-a flat metallic platev constituting the .anode of the appara downturned angesat two of its sides contacting with the tray bottom.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in 'presence of two witnesses.

. H. KEYT.- .Witnesses:

EDWIN B'. KEYT, Mnnn GnEGoRY.

-tus larranged Within the tray and having 

